The invention relates to a domestic appliance. Specifically, the invention relates to a washing machine.
A conventional washing machine consists of a tub or drum in which articles to be washed are placed and means are provided for agitating the articles inside the tub or drum in the presence of water and detergent. Inlet means for providing water and detergent to the tub or drum form part of the washing machine. The tub or drum is also provided with a water outlet via which water or water and detergent can be drained from the tub or drum. A pump is provided in the water outlet for removing water from the tub or drum.
It sometimes happens that small objects are inadvertently placed in the tub or drum when the articles to be washed are placed therein. It is also possible for items such as buttons or other fastening or decorative items to become dislodged from the articles during the washing process. It is highly undesirable for these items to pass through the pump since this could cause damage to the pump itself. In order to reduce the risk of any foreign body passing through the pump, a cointrap is placed upstream of the pump in the water outlet. The cointrap is essentially a chamber having a cross sectional area which is significantly larger than that of the water outlet, which is normally formed by means of a pipe or conduit. The increased area of the chamber causes a reduction in the velocity of the out-going water and large items which were previously carried along with the flow of out-going water drop out of the flow and collect in the cointrap. It will be understood that all reasonably sized items will be caught by the cointrap, which is not specifically designed to trap only coins. Buttons, paper clips, zipper heads and other items which might otherwise damage the impellers of the pump will also reliably be extracted from the outflow of the water and retained within the cointrap.
It is a disadvantage of known washing machines that, in order to inspect the interior of the cointrap, perhaps to recover a specific item, a portion of the cointrap must be removed in order to gain access. This is particularly inconvenient if it is not known whether the item being sought is located within the cointrap. Furthermore, cointraps can collect significant numbers of items over a period of time and, if the number of items collected is too great, the contents of the cointrap can begin to restrict the outflow of water from the tub or drum. Apart from an inevitable decrease in the efficiency of the cointrap, this can also result in an increased risk that a foreign item or body may enter the pump and may cause damage thereto.
It is a further disadvantage of known washing machines that when a cointrap requires to be opened for access, perhaps to retrieve an item retained therein or to remove a blockage from the adjacent pump, the cointrap is usually filled with water. This can make the process of gaining access to the cointrap inconvenient and messy. In turn, this discourages the user from accessing the cointrap at regular intervals in order to empty it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine having a cointrap in which access to the cointrap is gained only when access is known to be required. It is a further object of the invention to provide a washing machine having a cointrap which can be easily and conveniently accessed. A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine having a cointrap which is simple and convenient to maintain.
A first aspect of the invention provides a washing machine having a front panel, a tub for containing articles to be washed, a water inlet for admitting water to the tub, a water outlet for discharging water from the tub, a pump for pumping water from the tub to the water outlet and a cointrap having a transparent window, the cointrap located in the water outlet between the tub and pump, characterised in that the cointrap is positioned within the front panel to allow the contents of the cointrap to be viewed.
The provision of a transparent window in the cointrap allows a user visual access to the contents of the cointrap. This enables the user to see whether a specifically sought item has been trapped in the cointrap. It also allows the user to become aware when the cointrap is becoming full. The user is then alerted to the fact that maintenance is required. If the window provides visual access to the pump as well as to the interior of the cointrap, then the user can inspect the operation of the pump in the event that a malfunction is suspected.
A second aspect of the invention provides a washing machine having a tub for containing articles to be washed, a water inlet for admitting water to the tub, a water outlet for discharging water from the tub, a pump for pumping water from the tub to the water outlet and a cointrap located in the water outlet between the tub and the pump, the cointrap having a housing, the housing having a panel moveable between a first position and a second position, characterised in that the moveable panel has a drainage outlet, in that, in the first position, the moveable panel is sealed to the housing and the drainage outlet is closed, and in that, in the second position, the moveable panel is sealed to the housing and the drainage outlet is open.
Preferably, the moveable panel remains sealed to the housing during movement between the first position and the second position. More preferably, a moulded rubber seal is located between the housing and the moveable panel.
The provision of a drainage outlet which can be opened merely by movement of a moveable panel of the cointrap allows any water retained in the cointrap to be drained before physical access to the cointrap is gained. Preferably, the moveable portion is circular and is moveable about an axis of the cointrap which, preferably, is located centrally of the moveable panel.
It is preferred if, in the case of front-loading washing machines, the window or moveable portion of the cointrap is located so that it forms part of the front panel of the washing machine. This will provide convenient and immediate access to the window or moveable panel for the user. Further and advantageous features of the invention are set out in the subsidiary claims.